The CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL is back and Woodbine’s $750,000 turf marathon once again is a bit different in format. At one time a 1 5/8 mile turf test that lured the greatest horses in the world, the International was shortened to 1 1/2 miles when the expansive E.P. Taylor turf course opened.
Two years ago, the last time the race was run, the distance was shortened again, to 1 1 /4 miles.
This year’s edition will be run on the inner turf at 1 1/2 miles while the backstretch of the old Marshall turf course is renovated.
A field of 10 has been assembled for the 85th International, which will be held on firm turf on an expected warm Saturday in southern Ontario.
Three Europeans, an American and a mish-mash of local fellows make up the race, which is the 9th on an 11-race card that also includes the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes and Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes, the latter which offers the winner a free berth to the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf in January at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
NATIONS PRIDE (Ire) will try to win the race for the second time, as he won it in 2023. Godolphin owns the six-year-old stallion and that stable also won the International in 2021 with Walton Street.
Of the last 12 runnings of the race, only once has it been won by a non-Euro invader.
While Nations Pride is essentially a standout ‘on paper’ for the International – he was recently third in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga at 1 1/2 miles – you can make a case for an upset. Nations Pride does not race at 1 1/2 miles often, but he is one-for-four at the distance, having taken the 2022 Jockey Club Derby for three-year-olds in New York.
William Buick rides him almost every time, but that jockey is on a Godolphin starter in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1). Nineteen-year-old Billy Loughnane (Lock-nane) will ride Nations Pride at Woodbine.
The fast-rising WATHNAN RACING of the Emir of Qatar has been carefully placing their international horses and coming away with many big prizes.
Their first Canadian starter, HAUNTED DREAM (Ire), was a workmanlike winner of the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes over several guys who are back in the International: Tosen Wish, Dance in Da’Nile and Roscar. Wathman also starts SILAWI (Ire), a two-time winner this year including a 10-furlong Group 3 in his latest. Silawi, by Dubawi (Ire) adds Lasix for the first time.
The plucky six-year-old horse TAWNY PORT is the US invader and he seeks his first win since the summer of 2023 when he won the John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga at 1 5/8 miles. He’s a logical contender here on Saturday, but note he is zero-for-seven at 1 1/2 miles and just one-for-15 on the grass. Tawny Port is back on Lasix for the first time in a couple of years.
Trainer Mark Casse has never won the International and he has three horses in the race, Tosen Wish, second to Haunted Dream in the Singspiel, Raptor’s (Brz), a two-time optional/allowance winner this year at Colonial Downs, and the speedy My Boy Prince, who will try and go gate-to-wire in his longest race yet.
Canadian trainers Gail Cox (Dancin in Da’Nile) and Rachel Halden (Roscar, English Actor) seek to become the first Canadian trainer to win since Phil England in 1999.
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL
Grade I – 1 1/2 miles, Inner turf $750,000 – three-year-olds and up; 5:41 PM EST
PP / Horse / Jockey / Trainer / M/L
1 – Haunted Dream (IRE), Rafael Manuel, Hernandez H.A. Al Jehani 4/1
2 – My Boy Prince (ON), Pietro Moran, Mark E. Casse 10/1
3 – English Actor (ON), Patrick Husbands, Rachel Halden 20/1
4 – Tawny Port (KY), Sahin Civaci, Miguel Clement 6/1
5 – Roscar (ON), Ryan Munger, Rachel Halden 20/1
6 – Tosen Wish (IRE), Fraser Aebly, Mark E. Casse 15/1
7 – Silawi (IRE), Daniel Tudhope, H.A. Al Jehani 12/1
8 – Raptor’s (BRZ), Javier Castellano, Mark E. Casse 20/1
9 – Dancin in Da’nile (ON), Jose Luis Campos, Gail Cox 15/1
10 – Nations Pride (IRE), Billy Loughnane, Charles Appleby 1/1
More News
